Expecting a baby or babies bring about making numerous preparations. You’ve got to prepare the nursery and other equipment that will be used by your baby. One of the important pieces of equipment in the nursery is the crib. The crib is your baby’s little bed and he or she will spend quite a lot of time there. This is the reason why most parents make sure the cribs they get are up to standard and safe for their baby. And for this reason, many parents doubt cribs with solid sides.
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However, as there are different styles, colors, and sizes of cribs, parents get into the dilemma of not knowing which to get. Check out a blog post I wrote on modern cribs. But first and foremost, any crib you decide to get must be approved safe, and perfect for your baby. Even if it is an old or used crib, it must be approved as safe before you choose it for your baby.
Any crib you’re about to purchase must meet up the following requirements
Requirements for a safe and standard crib
- Must have a firm and tight-fitting mattress
- Must have no broken parts
- The footboard and headboard must be solid
- Must have a stationary side
- Must be toxin-free.
If the crib meets all the requirements above, then it is safe for your baby. On top of this, many parents are still confused about cribs. Due to the fact that there are different designs of cribs, parents are always concerned about choosing the best for their babies. However, no matter the design of any crib, it will still serve the purpose of being your baby’s little bed, you just have to make sure it is suitable for this purpose.
Solid back cribs Vs. Slats
Cribs with slats
There are cribs with slats side and there are cribs with solid sides. Cribs with slats side are commonly used and they’ve been approved safe for use. Check out some cribs with slats side on Amazon. Many parents love to use it because it allows the inflow of air from all sides. At the same time, some parents don’t like it because babies tend to throw out stuff from the slat space. For this reason, parents who don’t like cribs with slat sides go for cribs with solid sides. There are products on Amazon that you can use if you have a crib with slat sides. They are listed below:
1. The baby crib mesh liner. This helps to block the slats so the baby does not throw anything out or stick out their legs.
2. Wearable blankets keep your baby’s leg from moving around when sleeping. An excellent wearable blanket suitable for this purpose is the Moon and Back wearable blanket available on Amazon.
3. You can cover the rails of your baby’s crib with a knitted blanket such as the Sowobo baby swaddle blanket that has multiple holes.
4. The crib rail cover works nicely when you need to keep your baby’s legs and arms from getting stuck in the rails.
Read this post to get more ideas – 7 Ways to prevent a baby’s legs from getting stuck in crib rails.
Why do cribs have bars?
Crib bars help to prevent the baby from escaping from the crib. It also allows enough air ventilation in the crib so that the baby does not suffocate.
How far apart should crib slats be?
The crib slat width should be 2 3/8 inches (6 centimeters), which is about a soda can spacing. This bar spacing will prevent the baby from falling out or trapping its head between the crib slats.
Cribs with solid back panel
Cribs with solid sides are also known as cribs without slats and have been approved as safe and ideal for babies and some parents prefer to use them. Although, there are some parents who would love to use cribs with solid sides panel but are confused about factors like, will there be an adequate inflow of air? Can it hurt a baby? etc.
It is perfectly normal for a parent to be confused about using an unfamiliar device for his or her baby, however, if cribs with solid sides are not safe to use, they won’t be sold. Cribs are approved as safe by an agency, so, therefore, the only reason why cribs with solid sides are sold is that they’re safe and perfect for your baby’s development.
Also, there are some cribs with one side solid and the other side slated. Most parents with this kind of crib make sure that the solid side is kept against the wall, so there’s really no harm attached to cribs like this.
You might hesitate about getting cribs with solids side because of one reason or the other but they’re definitely safe for your baby. As long as you get a crib that meets all the requirements above, it doesn’t matter if it has a solid or slat side, it is definitely safe for your baby. At the same time, to allay your fears and doubts, it is important you know the safety precautions to take when dealing with your baby in the crib. These precautions will put your mind at rest that nothing bad will happen to your baby in the cribs with a solid back panel.
Safety Precautions for using the baby crib
- The paint of the crib must be toxic-free
- Beware of bumpers and don’t use it
- Make sure the slat of your baby crib is about the width of a soda can
- Make sure the crib mattress fits snugly and the baby can’t slip between it.
- Make sure all the hardware, that is, bolts and screws are firmly tightened
- The footboard and headboard of your baby crib must have no cuts out.
- Do not use pillows and comforters in your baby crib as they can reduce air circulation
- Make sure you don’t use a plastic sheet for your baby’s crib
- Don’t let dangling strings and cords into the crib as they can increase the risk of strangulation
- Make sure the sheet over the crib mattress is fitted and won’t slip out.
The mentioned precautions will guide you on how to take good care of your baby while in the crib. Follow them and you shouldn’t have any problems regarding your baby’s crib.
In addition, to answer the question “Are cribs with solid sides safe for babies? The answer is Yes. So, since it has been established that the cribs with solid sides don’t pose a risk to your baby, it depends on you to know which to gest; cribs with solid sides or cribs with slated sides. If you don’t want to get the solid sides crib, simply buy the crib with slat sides and use the mesh liner to cover the sides. No matter the kind of crib you get, make sure you adhere to the above precautions and make sure it meets the requirements for a standard crib.
Why are cribs made with slats?
Cribs are made with slats for several reasons. Firstly, crib bars or slats aid in keeping the little ones contained and safe by preventing them from leaving the crib. Second, the crib’s slats enable optimum air ventilation, lowering the risk of breathing difficulties and fostering a cozy sleeping environment for the baby. To prevent the baby from falling out or getting their head stuck between the slats, the space between them can be adjusted. Slatted cribs also provide visibility, enabling parents to watch their little ones without difficulty.
Final Thoughts
Getting the needed equipment for your baby’s growth can be quite daunting if you don’t know much about it. The crib is a piece of important equipment that your baby will use, so it is compulsory you know all about the design and the way it is used. Cribs with solid sides are a type of crib design.
There are some cribs with both sides solid and some with one side solid, these are also designs of the crib. However, some parents get confused about some cribs design and ask “Are cribs with solid sides safe? To know the answer to this question, read the article above. The article will enlighten you on the kind of cribs you should use and the precautions you need to take while using them.
